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New Fixed Costs Rules for claims up to £100,000

A new era in litigation started on 1 October 2023 which dictates that claims up to £100,000 are now subject to fixed costs. This means that a successful party will only be able to claim a fixed amount of costs from the unsuccessful party, irrespective...

Overview of illegal / unlawful dividends, Bounce Back Loans and the recovery process

Bounce Back loans  During the coronavirus outbreak the Bounce Back Loan Scheme was launched to assist businesses financially who, as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, were affected financially with cash flow issues, lack of revenue and could...

How Do You Set Up a Franchise Network?

Setting up a franchise network can be a fantastic way to rapidly expand a successful business concept while limiting your financial risk. However, there are a number of key practical and legal requirements for setting up a franchise that it is important to...

What are the Updated Japanese Knotweed Guidelines?

Japanese knotweed is an invasive plant in the UK that causes a lot of concern to homeowners due to the potential damage it can cause to buildings and other structures. Due to its fast growth, and ability to break through cracks and other weaknesses in...

What Is the Difference Between Freehold and Leasehold Property?

When looking at a property to buy, one of the most important things to understand is whether it is freehold or leasehold. This can impact what you can do with the property, as well as how much it may cost you on an ongoing basis. Simply put, the main...

What is the Process for Buying and Selling a Business?

The prospect of buying or selling a business can be a daunting one, particularly if you have very little previous experience with commercial transactions. No two business sales are ever likely to be identical, but there are several standard processes and...

How Do I Protect My Brand?

Plagiarism and other forms of brand abuse can do irreparable damage to a business, whether you value the brand, are design focused, or even product innovators. Unfortunately, an inspired product that sells well is going to lead to counterfeits being made or...

What Can I do to Stop People Using my Inventions?

If you have a new invention, the chances are that you either want to exploit it yourself or licence it to other businesses or manufacturers in order to make money. However, without the right protection, licencing or otherwise disposing of your intellectual...

What Are Articles of Association and Shareholders' Agreements?

Every limited company in England and Wales must by law have articles of association. For every company with two or more shareholders, it is strongly recommended that you complement the articles of association with a shareholders’ agreement. These two...

What Can You Do If Someone Owes You Money and Refuses to Pay?

Whether you are a business or an individual, if you are owed money by someone who refuses to pay there are a multitude of legal options to help you. It is always recommended to try to informally settle your dispute first. Firmly reminding the business or...

Day in the life of a Trainee Solicitor at Preston Redman Solicitors

By Lauryn Thurlow, Property Trainee I am now 6 months into my training contract at Preston Redman. My first seat has been in the property department where I have been brought in on a wide variety of matters. My workload ranges from residential...

Daily Telegraph Owner Accused of Failing to Pay Ex-wife £50 Million - What Divorcing Couples Can Learn About Avoiding Conflict

Reclusive billionaire St Frederick Barclay is risking a jail term after failing to pay his ex-wife the first instalment of the £100 million divorce settlement she was awarded by the court earlier in 2021 after their 34-year marriage ended. Sir...

What is a Supervision Order?

If the local authority is concerned about the wellbeing and welfare of a child, there are various Court Orders that can be applied for which are aimed at protecting the child. One Order the Court can make is a Supervision Order. Sometimes, Supervision Orders...

How Is a House Divided in Divorce?

During divorce or separation proceedings, deciding what will happen to the family home can be an understandable point of contention. It is often the case that the family home is one of the things neither party is willing to compromise on, which can make...

What Happens in a Divorce If You Commit Adultery?

It is an understandably emotional process going through a divorce, especially when the reason for the divorce is adultery. If you are wondering how adultery will affect the divorce, it is important to make sure you have all of the facts. This is equally true...

Commercial Eviction Ban Extended to March 2022

The government has announced that it is extending the ban on commercial evictions until March 2022 – a nine-month extension. Fearing a wave of business closures and insolvencies in the wake of Covid-19, particularly in the hospitality sector, this...

Bill and Melinda Gates Divorce Reflects Growing Trend of Amicable Separation

Earlier this year, it was announced that Bill and Melinda Gates would be divorcing after 27 years of marriage. However, unlike many high-profile divorces in the US which involve bitter disputes and court litigation, the couple have reportedly signed a...

Government Announces No-fault Divorce Will Not Come into Force in 2021

It has been announced that the introduction of no-fault divorce has been delayed until 6 April 2022 at the earliest. No-fault divorce was originally planned to be brought into effect this Autumn as a part of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill, but...

Covid-19 Ban on Statutory Demands and Winding Up Petitions Extended

Update June 2021 – since the time of writing, the temporary restrictions on Statutory Demands and Winding Up Petitions discussed in this article have been further extended to 30 September 2021. The temporary Covid-19 measures introduced under the...

Top Tips for Surviving Christmas Post-Separation

2020 has been an incredibly difficult year for separated couples. The unprecedented circumstances brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic have no doubt taken their toll and, for separated couples with children, making arrangements that fulfil the whole...

Good Divorce Week 2020 - What Makes a Good Divorce?

The week starting 30 November marks Good Divorce Week, organised by family law network, Resolution . The goal of this year’s #gooddivorce campaign is to raise awareness of Resolution’s Code of Practice , the benefits of getting your divorce...

The Corporate Insolvency Process Has Changed

The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 ( the Act ), which came into force on 26 June 2020, has introduced a number of temporary and permanent reforms to the corporate insolvency process, including a moratorium on winding up proceedings. The...

Supporting Our Customers During the Time of Coronavirus

With the UK government moving the country’s coronavirus alert level down and allowing more businesses to reopen from 4 July, we want to clarify how we are continuing to work with our clients to provide an exceptional legal service during this...

The Effect of Coronavirus on Consumer Contracts

As with any significant societal change, the coronavirus has presented new legal issues to be addressed by the existing law or, in some instances (such as housing re-possessions and possible closures in the hospitality industry), by new emergency...

Can I Claim Unpaid Wages if My Employer Goes Out of Business?

In September 2019, the Thomas Cook travel group collapsed causing thousands of employees to suddenly lose their jobs without receiving their pay. Amongst the disruption, we are starkly reminded of the risk employees across all sectors face – what...

My tenant is not paying rent - options for commercial landlords

Tenants falling into arrears is a common issue for commercial landlords. You want to recover the rent owed as quickly as possible, but it’s important to take the time to understand the reasons behind your tenant’s arrears and the options...

What are the legal rights of married couples and unmarried couples?

There is a common misconception that couples who are living together (cohabiting) have the same rights as married couples . This misconception has led people into financial difficulty through not being prepared after separation or after a partner’s...

Inheritance Tax planning during your lifetime

When thinking about what happens to your estate after you are gone, it’s normal to want to make sure your loved ones get the maximum possible benefit from the assets you have built up over your lifetime. While Inheritance Tax (IHT) can make a big dent...

How will the abolition of Section 21 affect landlords?

Last month the Government announced plans to consult on new legislation to abolish Section 21 evictions, commonly known as ‘no-fault’ evictions. This means that private landlords will no longer be able to evict tenants at short notice and...

Tenant fees to be restricted from June 2019

The Tenant Fees Bill received Royal Assent on 12 February 2019 to become the Tenant Fees Act 2019. The Act, which will come into effect on the 1 June, will restrict the fees that landlords and letting agencies can charge tenants in the private rented...

The importance of security of tenure for landlords and tenants

Whether you’re a landlord or a tenant, there may come a time when you want to renegotiate your lease or terminate it altogether. But how can a landlord or tenant do this when security of tenure is in effect? What is security of tenure? The Landlord...

Charity Refuge launch Christmas campaign to raise awareness of domestic violence

The UK’s largest domestic violence charity, Refuge, have launched a Christmas campaign to raise awareness of the terrible reality many women and children face when living with an abuser, particularly over the Christmas period. The charity has released...

How to deal with workplace bullying

Bullying in the workplace can be distressing and can often lead to poor performance, sickness and in some cases resignations. Employers also have a legal responsibility to provide a safe and fair working environment for their employees, so workplace...

Government consultation begins on leasehold reform

The government has launched a consultation seeking views on its plans for reforming the leasehold system in England. The reforms are aimed at making the system fairer and more transparent for leaseholders and cover the types of properties that can be...

Leasehold houses: research shows more than half of owners didn't understand what they were buying

Over half of leasehold house owners did not understand what being a leaseholder meant until after they had purchased their property, new research has shown. Over 1,100 leasehold homeowners were surveyed by NAEA Propertymark , with 57% of respondents...

Freelance plumber wins workers' rights in Supreme Court ruling

A freelance plumber has won a landmark case on workers’ rights in the Supreme Court with potentially huge significance for freelance workers across the country. Self-employed plumber Gary Smith, who worked exclusively for Pimlico Plumbers for six...

Employment tribunal claims rise by 90% following abolition of fees

The number of claims made to employment tribunals has almost doubled since the fees for bringing a claim were abolished last year, according to new official figures. The latest government figures , covering October-December 2017, show 8,173 single claims...

Court of Appeal rules against leasehold campaigners in landmark case

The Court of Appeal has ruled against campaigners who were seeking to change the model used for calculating the cost of extending a lease or buying the freehold on leasehold property. The new model the campaigners had proposed could have seen these costs...

Stamp Duty cut for first time buyers

New rules introduced in the government’s 2017 autumn budget mean that first time buyers purchasing a property for £300,000 or less in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will no longer pay stamp duty. This exemption will also benefit first time...

How to avoid unlawful discrimination when renting property

As a landlord, you might think you have complete freedom over who to rent or not rent your property to. However, you may be breaking the law if you choose not to rent to someone based on certain ‘protected characteristics’. You also have a legal...

Can you contest your parent's Will if they disinherited you?

If you have been left out of the Will of one of your parents or feel that the inheritance they have left you is unfair, you may be able to challenge the Will under certain circumstances. In this article we examine potential grounds for contesting a Will ,...

Supreme Court rules tribunal fees illegal: what this means for employers and employees

The Supreme Court has ruled that is illegal for employment tribunals to charge workers a fee for bringing cases against their employers. This ruling came about as a result of a case brought by the trade union Unison, which argued that the fees (which went...

How to evict a tenant

The landlord/tenant relationship is governed by rules, responsibilities, rights and obligations. Both parties will value the security that a tenancy offers. But the law recognises that there are times when a landlord needs to be able to remove a tenant and...

The Taylor Review: A Guide for Employers

The Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices has now been published. It offers insights into the changing nature of work in modern Britain and recommendations on how to make sure workers are getting a fair deal from their working conditions. Key points...

Does death wipe out debts?

After a friend or family member has died, their financial affairs will need to be sorted out. We don’t underestimate the difficulties this presents, on both an emotional and a practical level. It’s an unenviable task for those who hold a personal...

How will changes to buy-to-let tax affect my property investment?

April 6th didn’t only mark the beginning of the new financial year; it also marked the day that the new changes to Buy-To-Let tax came into full force. These changes have not been met with a particularly positive response from landlords, many of whom...

Insley and Partners joins Preston Redman LLP

We are pleased to announce that as of 3 April Insley & Partners have joined Preston Redman LLP. Insley & Partners, who were a well regarded and established practice in Bournemouth and subsequently Ferndown since 1947, have moved into our (now...

Can a landlord refuse to end a tenancy early?

The relationship between landlord and tenant is one of mutual benefit: the tenant pays the landlord a set monthly amount and in return is able to live in their property for a fixed period of time. When the relationship is formed, a contract is drawn up to...

Choosing the Right Executor

Making a Will is essential in protecting your estate from passing to anyone other than your chosen beneficiaries, however, after you’re gone, how can you be sure that the requests in your Will are carried out with precision? Appointing an executor you...

Inheriting Commercial Property: 5 Points to Consider

If you have recently inherited commercial property, it’s likely that you have a list of questions regarding your options and how you may be affected by the rules on Inheritance Tax. While inheriting commercial property can present a number of...

Wills: Don't Try This At Home!

Writing a Will is something many people avoid doing until it’s absolutely necessary. Often, simply the thought of having to consider one’s own mortality is enough to put people off. However, a Will is one of the most significant and important...

The Post-Brexit Property Health-check

The result of the Brexit vote sent shockwaves through the global economy. Frightening facts, figures, graphs and charts dominated the media leaving property owners in a state of panic. House prices dropped to a three-year low as consumers' confidence in...

5 Tips for Signing a Commercial Lease

When you find a commercial property that meets your business needs, you may be desperate to sign the lease and get moving. However, rushing into an agreement without being certain that it benefits you as a business can potentially leave you in a sticky...

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Relocating Your Business

Corporate Relocation. It’s exciting. A new workplace, a new start. Perhaps you’re relocating to access a larger market, or you want increased proximity with your clients. You might just need more space to expand as a business. Whatever reason...

Unmarried Inheritance: Where do I stand?

You can’t fully prepare yourself for the aftermath of losing a loved one, especially a romantically related partner. Tying up the loose ends during bereavement can be painful, especially if matters get complicated. For married couples or those in civil...

Will changes to SDLT rates affect you?

During last years Spending Review and Autumn Statement the government announced their Five Point Plan for housing. As part of this Plan the introduction of higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on purchases of additional residential properties was...

Inheritance Tax Reaches Record High

In the year ending 31 October 2015, HMRC received a total of £4.2 billion through the Inheritance Tax of the British public. In the year ending 31 October 2016, a total of £4.7 billion was received, an increase of 11.9% and a record high in...

Dealing with divorce or separation at Christmas

According to a survey from YouGov last year, British households were expected to spend £821 on average during Christmas, with an impressive £604 of that figure on gifts alone, and the remaining amount spent on food, drink, and decorations. ...

The Typical Stages of Purchasing a Commercial Property

You may have heard the latest talking point when it comes to London office space in recent news. How do marble and gold staircases, a rooftop terrace and in-office dining with champagne on tap courtesy of La Petite Maison sound to you? Well, if you are...

Inheritance Tax: The Basics

It is easy to underestimate how complex the UK tax system is. If, you hear the word ‘tax’ and automatically associate the word with complicated figures and accountancy terminology, you’re not alone. According to research earlier this year...

The top 5 things to avoid when purchasing a buy to let

With mortgage rates at record lows, investing in the buy to let market on the surface looks an attractive opportunity, with the potential of great return on your investments. However, as with with all investments come the commonly made mistakes that can have...

Co-parenting after divorce: how best to communicate

Last week we touched on things to consider before divorce. We compiled a list of the most frequently asked questions to our solicitors with explanations on how best to deal with these considerations. When considering your divorce or separation, there is a...

Things to Consider Before Divorce

We understand that when considering divorce it can be an emotional and often a challenging time, particularly if you are unsure of what divorce entails, who to speak to, and where to start. As solicitors dealing with divorce, we have gathered a list of...

Website Launch

Here at Preston Redman we understand that combining great people and resources with our wealth of experience means we are able to deliver effective legal solutions for you and your business. To compliment this we have invested in a new website to make it...

Who are you contracting with?

We all enter into contracts every day for goods and services, in shops, over the phone and increasingly over the internet and when things go wrong you may need the assistance of a lawyer. The first thing you need to know is who did you actually make your...

Living in Leasehold

Owning a flat usually means that it is up to someone else to undertake the maintenance of the building and grounds. How that someone else deals with those responsibilities can significantly impact upon the enjoyment of your property. In the vast majority of...

Developing Distress

From 6 April 2014 a landlord’s right to exercise the remedy of Distress is abolished. The remedy of Distress allows a landlord to instruct bailiffs to enter rented commercial property to seize goods as security for payment of unpaid rent. For the...